Looking for blog ideas?If you want to start a blog for fun and income, coming up with a profitable niche topic is one of the most important steps to successful blogging.
When I started my first few blogs, I really didn't know what I was doing or how much I could earn from blogging. I was basically blogging for fun and to build back-links to my other sites and content. But now, when choosing a topic for a website or blog, I look at a few factors to determine my blog's focus.
1. Interests and knowledge base. Why start a blog on something I won't enjoy or don't know much about? This would likely result in neglecting my blog and it not living up to its income potential. Also, readers can tell when you're an authority on the subject and when you're just writing SEO content articles. To make your blog stand out, think of blog ideas that truly interest you -- maybe even something you're passionate about.
2. The competition. What other blogs are there on my topic? If the niche is already crowded, with many relevant, quality blogs, it might be wise to consider other topics and different blog ideas. A simple Google search for your topic and the word "blog" will give you an idea of what else is out there. But keep in mind that if you can find a different angle or focus on the same general topic, your niche may have very little competition.
3. Keywords. To ensure you'll have plenty of material for your blog, check out related keywords and topics through keyword tools. There should be a large variety and number of keyword combinations for your topic to be viable in the long run. I use Wordtracker's free keyword tool, and plug in my main keyword to see how often people are searching for it and related terms.
After considering your interests, niche competition and the quality and number of related searches for your blog ideas, you will have an idea as to whether your topic will be profitable. Run the numbers on several different topics so you can get a feel for where different niches stack up and make a educated decision.
If you still find it intimidating or confusing to come up with blog ideas, I will again recommend an awesome resource for new and pro bloggers, which hundreds of people have used to build a blog from the ground up: The Niche Blogger.
This program, which is run by a stay at home/ work at home mom of four as a way to show other moms how to earn a passive income with blogging, began as a very successful attempt to show the method to her own mom.
Her end result is a step-by-step program that literally covers every thing you need to know about blogging ... far more than I have shared with you in my posts, since space and time, as well as my lesser knowledge on the topic, preclude me from presenting as in-depth material as she covers.
An impressive aspect of the program is how Amy shares her method for coming up with good blog ideas. It really simplifies the niche research process, making it doable for any level blogger.
Don't forget, niche blogging is more than just picking a topic, it also involves finding one that will actually make money -- the most important thing for many professional bloggers!
Do you blog to earn money? How did you choose your niche topic?
5 comments:
I've found that just blogging your passions isn't always that profitable, but it's definitely hard to maintain a blog that's "just for the money."
I usually tell folks to brainstorm and write down several things they're interested in (not necessarily experts) and enjoy researching and learning about. Then from there we go off and figure out which interests have the potential to be profitable. ;)
Hey love the article about finding the niche topic. We have found that some people do well just by writing whatever comes to mind. Some people kind of just develop there niche topic over time. Some people also have a topic of interest and share about what they learn as they go.
One thing is for certain when blogging, people are looking for personality from a blog. It could be dry humor, sorrow, spiritual, or even just plain old goofy, sometimes even just your personality becomes your niche in the end.
Great tips on niche blogging! I really like your approach to writing and blogging.
Hello, I am a new blogger and website owner. The blog and website are all about saving and earning more money. I am looking for ways to promote my blog/site and would love some feedback. Content,quality, promtion ideas, anything. Thanks!
http://www.ManyMoneySavers.com
http://www.ManyMoneySavers.blogspot.com
I came up with an idea for a niche site last year, it cost me about $30 to set up and about $5 a month to host and it brings in about $40 a month in adsense and shamefully, I haven't added a single post since the ten hour weekend I spent building the site. I wish I could have a-ha moments like that more often.
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